2007 Mazda3 2.0 MZR-CD review

Man it pisses me off that we can't get the diesel, especially a turbo diesel. Not sure of the conversion for mpg, but isn't 6 liters per 100km around 40 mpg? Amazing torque too.

Here in texas, the price of diesel always looms about 30 cents higher than the price of 87 oct. So no economy there...

360 newton meters = 265.5 foot pounds

6 liters = 1.585 gallons [US, liquid]
100 kilometers = 62.137 miles

6 liter per 100 km = 39.2 miles per gallon

Does sound nice, but I think I am happy enough with my 3i petrol car. The fuel thriftiness is nice, but I can already exceed those milage numbers on occasion (okay, so the diesel could probably still smack my car down in milage), but diesel does tend to be 10-15% more expensive then gas, which puts the cost of the fuel at about what the savings would be over my car.

On top of the fact the diesel motors are heavier then petrol motors. It also has slightly less HP (okay WAY more torque)...so I would not expect it to have much of an edge in acceleration.

I am not really knocking the car so much (okay it really sounds like I am), just saying it doesn't sound like the greatest thing since sliced bread in comparison to existing models. However, if fuel prices were the same between petrol and diesel it would be a great car for those who want/need the extra milage and fuel savings.
-matt

i just wish diesel would catch on here in general., burns cleaner with better fuel economy, and biodiesel is quickly progressing with very little downside (as opposed to ethanol, which still gunks up stuff).

if i could have gotten a 3 turbodiesel instead of the speed3, i think i would have.

good review. although 39 mpg sounds good and all, here in maryland, it's also much more expensive per gallon for diesel. I remember it used to be cheaper then regular gas, but i would assume with it's popularity now-adays, it's a no reason its more expensive.

when gas is cheap diesel is expensive, and when gas is expensive, diesel is cheaper. YMMV of course. The additional MPG of diesel usually offsets the slightly higher cost of the fuel. But, like a hybrid, the added mileage of a diesel usually doesn't "pay for" the added cost of the engine vs. a gas engine. Still, like a Prius, there are other benefits to paying the money, both tangible and intangible.

I read a recent article somewhere (C&D?) that even in Europe, for most mini cars most people still choose gas, because the extra cost of the diesel engine makes more long-run sense for midsize/larger vehicles.

Still, I would buy a diesel equivalent of a loaded Grand Touring hatchback in a HEARTBEAT. I haven't read that article yet, but that gearshift looks like 6-spd? Add AWD and I am completely and totally sold.

Diesel is still hot in some Euro cars, but hard to catch on in Japanese car manufacturers.

I was going to say that it's insane that diesel is 30 cents more expensive in parts of the US since here in Canada it's only about 5-10 cents more expensive. Then I remembered you count gas per gallon while we count it per liter, so it's on par.

I think a diesel Mazda would catch on more quickly here in Canada. The diesel Jettas were really hot back in its hay days.

In Europe, it's quite the other way around. In Denmark, diesel is always at around 20-25% cheaper than gas.

Regular prices are (converted, naturally) 6.83 USD/gallon for gas and 5.47USD/gallon for diesel (tends to fluctuate a little).

[quote author=DeDster link=topic=71877.msg1414021#msg1414021 date=1179315589]
I was going to say that it's insane that diesel is 30 cents more expensive in parts of the US since here in Canada it's only about 5-10 cents more expensive. Then I remembered you count gas per gallon while we count it per liter, so it's on par.

I think a diesel Mazda would catch on more quickly here in Canada. The diesel Jettas were really hot back in its hay days.
[/quote]

lol i knew someone at college that had an 92 Jetta TDI. man that thing was so slow and loud (with four people in the car), but lol wow....